Fire Fly's Guardians
by UH-60 NIGHTSTALKER
Summary: Takes place 6 months after the events of "A Guilty Wind, A Troubled Sea." Haruka and Michiru gets one final request from Hotaru's father.
1. Chapter 1

_**The Meeting... **_

Michiru sat silently in the passenger seat of the lover's car, as her lover skillfully drove the Italian made vehicle through the streets of Tokyo. It had been six months since the couple had returned from there self imposed exile in America and so far things for them were finally returning back for them. Michiru had begun work on her new CD which was due to come out within a couple months and a couple of the tracks were going to include both her and Haruka. While Haruka on the other hand had returned to competing professionally in a number of track and field events within the city and there were even rumors floating about that she may even make it onto the Japanese Olympic team. But it was only three months ago that the Senshi of the wind, as well as the Senshi of the seas did something that changed both their lives forever.

The two lovers finally tied the knot in a private ceremony in Okinawa, they were now truly bonded by love for life and they now lived together in a small home within the city. But not everything was all sunshine for the newly married couple. Even though Usagi had forgiven them for their questionable actions during the battle with Galaxia, the rest of the inner senshi were still unable, if not unwilling, to forgive the couple. Especially Rei and Makoto, who were most hostile anytime the couple would visit the shrine with Hotaru. Then again the lovers did not expect things to get better over night, they knew that it would be a very long time indeed before the others would accept them back as senshi.

Right now though all those things were at the back of the two lovers' mind, as they made their way to the home of father of the youngest member of the Sailor Senshi team, Souichi Tomoe. It was just an hour ago that the couple received a phone call from the Tomoe-sensei, saying that he had something important to ask them concerning his daughter. Without hesitation, the couple agreed to meet with him and they were now on their was to meet with there former enemy.

As they made their way through the busy streets of Tokyo, the two women could not help but to wonder just why Tomoe-sensei wanted to see them. Maybe he just wanted them to watch over the young child while he went in for his bi-monthly check ups. It would not be the first time they had done this for the single father, the couple were usually the ones Souichi would call on to do this favor for him when he went for his regular check ups with his doctor, and truth be told, the couple enjoyed spending time with the violet eyed senshi. But for some reason, something felt different. As if there was something else telling them that this trip was going to be far different than what they would be expecting.

Within a few minutes, the couple finally pulled in front of the mansion that was the home of Souichi Tomoe and his daughter, Hotaru. Switching off the engine the couple exited the car and made their way towards the front door.

"Your feeling it too?" Haruka asked her wife, noting the odd expression on her face. The aqua haired violinist nodded slowly and replied, "I just don't know what it is causing this. I find it a bit strange for Tomoe-sensei to be calling us on a week day."

"The it must be important if he did." a familiar voice interjected. When the couple came looked to see where it came from, they saw the familiar form of Setsuna walking towards them, dressed in a dark gray business suit with knee length skirt and matching skirt.

"Setsuna?" Michiru gasped in surprised, "What are you doing here?"

"Something told me that I should be here right now." the senshi of time replied cryptically, "and considering that the professor summon the two of you here as well, I think it would be best that I join you."

The other two women just stood there with a perplexed look on their faces, they were about to ask their friend a few more questions when the front door opened and Professor Tomoe himself stood in front of them.

"Ah, Tenoh-san, Kaioh-san and Meioh-san." The kindly professoer greeted the three women, "It is nice to see that all three of you are here already."

"It is a pleasure to see you too, Tomoe-sensei." Michiru replied, as she and the other women bowed in respect. "At risk of sounding a bit hasty, may I ask just why did you call all three of us here?"

"Yes of course." Souichi replied, "Please, lets head inside where we can talk." the three outer senshi agreed to this and all entered his home. The were all lead into the professor's private study and as soon as they found a seat, the professor began to speak.

"First of all, I want to thank all of you for coming when I asked."

"It was no problem, Tomoe sensei." Michiru replied, "But tell me, why have you asked too see us." Souichi's tone became somber as he replied, "It concerns my daughter, Hotaru."

"Hotaru?" the senshi of the wind gasped, "Is there something wrong with her?"

"No no," the professor replied "she is doing fine. And I want to personally thank all three of you for looking after her while I was in the hospital. But it is also for that reason why I have called for you today."

"Really?" Haruka asked, the professor nodded before he replied "Well... I may need you to watch over my daughter once again in the very near future.

At that moment, both Haruka and Michiru began to sense an feeling of sadness and dread coming from the older man, "What do you mean?" Michiru asked with a almost fearful tone in her voice. Souichi just sighed as he leaned heavily on his desk before he replied in a neutral tone,

"I am dying..."


	2. Chapter 2

**_Souichi's Annoucement..._**

A sense of complete shock and horror came over the 3 outer senshi, at the professor's announcement that he was terminally ill. Michiru's eye's widened as she placed her hand over her mouth in shock, while a look of disbelief came over the senshi of the wind's face. Both lovers at a complete loss for words, but it was the goddess of time who was able to find her voice at that moment and asked, "You... are dying?"

"I am afraid so." the professor replied with a somber tone as he began to explain his situation, "Apparently all those years of exposing myself to all those harsh chemicals in my life as a scientist has lead me to my own undoing."

"What do you mean?" Michiru spoke up, finally able to find her voice once again. "A few weeks ago one of my doctors called me to run some test after he found what he called 'an anomaly' in my blood test results."

"What did he find?" Haruka spoke up this time.

"At first he was not sure and he sent me to do some more test as well as an M.R.I at an local hospital," Souichi explained, "and although the scans showed that there were no tumorous growths inside of me, I am afraid that my own body has turned against itself. As a result, it is on the verge of a complete system shut down."

"I... I don't understand." Michiru stuttered out in disbelief, "How could your body just... turn on itself?"

"And what does it have to do with you being a scientist?" the senshi of the wind added. The professor just sighed heavily once again, as he sat down in his arm chair and replied, "It were all those chemicals that I exposed myself to over the years. On there own and in small doses they are quite harmless, but ever since my wife died I have been so wrapped up in my work that I... I did not take the proper precautions to ensure my safety. Then there was the bombing at the school and I exposed even more so to those chemicals when I was buried under all that rubble."

All three women remained silent at the professor's mentioning of the 'bombing' that destroyed the Mugen Academy. All three women knew all too well the true events that resulted in the school's destruction just under a year ago and even though the good professor was well aware that the three women in front of him, as well as his daughter, were members of the famous Sailor Senshi, he was still unaware of the fact that he and his daughter were once possessed by evil entities. Or that the school's destruction was the result of the great battle that took place to prevent the destruction of the world.

As far as Tomoe knew, his school was destroyed by terrorist and he was the only survivor from the attack, and the outers were not about to destroy that illusion for him.

"So how long do you have?" Haruka asked in her normal gruff voice, trying her best to conceal her shock.

"4... maybe 5 months at best." Souichi replied, "The doctors gave me a number of prescriptions for the pain, but there is nothing more that could be done. I am truly dying."

"So why is it only now that you decided to call us?" the senshi of the wind queried.

"Because I wanted to make sure all of my affairs were in order." the professor replied, as he got back up from his chair and walked in front of his three guest. "I have been meeting with my lawyer and I have ensured that all of my belongings will be given to Hotaru once I have passed and that all my finances be placed in a trust fund she can have access to once she is 18. but there was one final piece of business that needs to be tended to."

"You are asking us to become her legal guardians, am I correct?" the senshi of time spoke up with a neutral tone. The professor nodded in agreement and replied, "My daughter is very young and she deserves to grow up in a home where she could be loved, not in some orphanage where she would only be just another child lost in a flawed system. She needs a family."

"But why us?" Michiru asked the professor, moved by the man's statement that he did not want his child to grow up all alone and unloved. " I mean... we are honored that you are asking us to take care of her, but why?"

"Because, I know for a fact that she loves the three of you very much and that you love her just the same." Souichi stated, "I have seen just how the three of you interact with her when you go out. It is like the four of you are like a family and that is what she needs. I want you to be her family." his tone was almost pleading as he finished speaking.

The three outers were once again lost in their own thoughts, this man who was once their enemy and tried to bring "The Silence" to the world was just about pleading with to look after his daughter after he had passed away. They all had mixed feelings about taking in the young as their own, on one hand they would be living together once again, the older women could keep an close eye on the child and help her develop and control her powers. But on the other hand, the young child would lose her father forever and there was just no telling if they could ever fill the void that would be left behind.

It was a scary thought indeed, would they be good parents to her? Will she ever accept them as her parents? Sure they had taken care of Hotaru when her father was in hospital last year, but that was only for a few months and the she went back to live with him not too long after their fateful (if not infamous) encounter with Galaxia. That memory of that day alone was enough for Haruka and Michiru to question just if they were the best persons to be her guardians. But despite all this, the two overs still loved the young child as if she were their own and they too realized that Hotaru deserved to have a happy and stable home to grow up in and to be loved.

"Tomoe-sensei," Haruka said, as she got up from her seat and stared the professor strait in the eye, "I agree with you. Hotaru deserves a chance to grow up in a home where she could be loved."

"Indeed, she does." Michiru spoke up, as she joined her lover and Setsuna, who had also joined the senshi of the wind. "We would be honored to be Hotaru 's legal guardians and we promise, that we would treat her as if she were one of our own."

"Considering that she is a senshi just like all of you, I would expect no less." Souichi replied, well aware of the true identities of his guest.

For the next thirty minutes the quartet discussed a few more things and made some arrangements for the future. Within a few month, professor Tomoe would be moving back into the hospital for treatment so it was decided that Hotaru would go and live with the outers at their home when that time came. But for now she would remain in her father's care, the professor wanted to spend as much time with his daughter as he could before his time came.

Finally it was time for Souichi's guest to leave and return to their lives, but as he was showing them out the door Michiru spoke up and asked, "This may be a little late, but may I ask where is Hotaru?"

"Usagi came by earlier and took her to the shrine to spend the day." Souichi replied, "She should be back within a couple hours." And with that statement, the group said their goodbyes and left the professor's home.

As the professor watched the trio get into their car and drive off, he could not help think about what he had just done and accomplished . Souichi had ensured that even after he had passed on, Hotaru would still have a family to raise and love her. Coupled with the trust fund that he had put in place, it looked like his little firefly would be well taken care of. But there was one last thing that needed to be done and it was something that he did not look forward to at all.

All he could do was hope that when the time came, he would be able to do what needed to be done.


	3. Chapter 3

**_We would have What? _**

There was an bit of a awkward silence as Haruka drove her Italian made convertible through the busy city streets of Tokyo, all three women lost in their own thoughts, as what was said in their meeting with the now terminally ill professor Tomoe were still very fresh in their minds. Soon they would become the legal guardians of the youngest member of the Sailor Senshi team and they would all have to take up the roles of being her parents.

It was not like they had not done it before, they were her guardians fir a few month last year, but this time they would be parents full time and they would have to work overtime to ensure that the young violet eyed waif was given the childhood and home that she so rightfully deserved. A task easier said than done considering that neither of them had what one would call a "normal" childhoods. Both Haruka's and Michiru's parents were not all that much involved their lives while they were growing up. Especially Haruka, who had a rather turbulent relationship with her parents before she ended up moving with her Aunt and her family.

Now she was going to fill in the roll of being Hotaru's new full time "Papa" as it were, and even though she had done so in the past, the normally confident senshi of the wind felt a bit uneasy about the whole thing.

"Did you know that the professor was going to die?" Haruka said out of the blue, catching both her lover and the senshi of time off guard. "Haruka...?" Michiru asked in a surprised tone.

"You knew that Hotaru's father was going to dying and that he was going to ask us to be her guardians, didn't you Setsuna?" Haruka asked the time goddess in a accusing tone. Setsuna was silent for a few moments before she answered, "I did have a feeling that the professor would request that we become Hotaru's guardians, but I was uncertain about just when he would have called on us to do so or if he would have needed us at all."

"What do you mean, Sets?" Michiru asked, taken aback by her friend's statement.

"Even though it is my duty to protect the time streams and ensure that they move along smoothly, they are still unpredictable and constantly changing." the senshi of time explained.

"Excuse me?" Haruka, who at this time had pulled the car on the side of the street, asked her fellow team mate. "I thought you were the senshi of time?"

"I am..." Setsuna replied, not phased by her friend's tone, "But I, just like every one else, am still at the mercy of the flow of time. I may be able to manipulate it from time to time, but I can not change what is meant to be."

"But that still does not answer my question." Haruka replied, sounding a bit irritable at her friend's statement. "Did you or did you not know that the professor was dying or that he was going to ask us to be Hotaru's guardians?"

The look on the senshi of time's face became morbid as she replied, "I am afraid that it is true, professor's health is starting to deteriorate and I knew that he would call upon us to take charge of Hotaru."

"Then why didn't you say something to us before?" Haruka asked, her tone more aggressive this tim around.

"Like you told me and Hotaru about your plans to 'help' Galaxia?" the time goddess shot back, catching both women off guard. "Before you get upset at me for keeping secrets from you, I should remind you that you kept a vital piece of information from not only your fellow team mates, but from our princess as well."

Haruka and Michiru were both floored and shocked by the time goddess' response, never had they heard the senshi of time speak to them in such a manner or in such a way that would silence them both so easily. But what really had the couple in a stupor was the fact that Setsuna had brought up back the memory of their decision to "help" the then evil Sailor Galaxia and the senshi of time did not look like she was sorry for bringing up the subject. It was very clear to the couple that the goddess of time had changed since that fateful day and that she was not afraid to talk back to them.

"You are right, Sets." Haruka said apologetically, "I am sorry that I lost my temper, but still you should have said something to us."

"Like I was saying before," Setsuna spoke up once again, "I did know that his health was failing and that he would have called upon us, but it was unknown to me just when he would do so or if..." the senshi of time trailed off.

"If...?" Michiru asked, a puzzled expression forming on her face.

"If you and Haruka would agree to raise Hotaru as if she were your own." Setsuna replied somberly, as she looked down into her lap.

"What?" Michiru gasped in shock, as her eyes went wide. "What do you mean 'if we would agree to'? Of course we would take good care of her!"

"Because..." Hrauka said quietly with her head hung low, " what we did to her and Setsuna last year."

"What?" Michiru gasped, "Are you saying that we may not have said yes because..."

"Because we still feel guilty..." Haruka finished for her lover, her head still hung low. Even though it had been almost a year since the incident with the senshi of the galaxy, the two lovers were still chewing themselves out for their actions that day. Even if Usagi, Setsuna and Hotaru had forgiven them, the senshi of the wind and the senshi of the seas were still unable to fully remove the guilt that had been hovering over them like storm clouds.

The look on Michiru's face soon took on an expression that showed both disbelief and sadness, "There was a chance that we would have said 'no'?" the aqua haired violinist asked in disbelief.

"There was a minute chance that you would have." Setsuna replied in a neutral tone. "But as the guardian of time I must treat all possibilities as an eventual possibility."

"What would have happened if we had said no and refused?" Haruka asked fearfully, uncertain if she wanted to know the answer.

"All I will sat is that your lives would have certainly be different." the time goddess replied, as she got up from her seat and proceeded to exit the vehicle. The two lovers were puzzled by the elder woman's statement and were about to ask her more questions , but as they turned around, there was no sign of the senshi of time. Quite possibly, returning to her post at the gates of time.

Haruka and Michiru just sat there for a few more minutes, as they digested what Setsuna had told them. Was it possible that their guilt cold have prevented them from agreeing to the professor's wishes for his daughter? Then again that same guilt had forced them to sell their last home and flee to America for almost 2 months.

In any case they had agreed to become the violet eyed child's legal guardians and soon they would once again become her parents. That meant that there was much to be done if they were about to have the young child in their home. Bringing the vehicle back to life, the couple drove off and headed back towards their home.

There were some big changes headed their way, the couple only hoped that they would be ready when it came.

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_**A/N:** Okay, and there is chapter 3. I know it is a bit short, but this chapter was not meant to be long anyway. More to come so stay tuned and please leave a (positive) review. _


	4. Chapter 4

_**Making Arrangements...**_

Over the next few days, both Haruka and Michiru went about the business of preparing both themselves and their new home for the arrival of their newest resident and although they did have some knowledge on raising the young child, truth be told , they were both more than a bit worried.

It was not like they were financially unable to take care of the young child, both women made enough money to live rather comfortably and still have enough left over for what ever they had planed for the future. What really worried them was that there was no telling just how Hotaru would be like once her father had passed away and she moved in with the same people that were responsible for one of thee most traumatic moment of her young life.

Sure Hotaru said that she had forgiven them, but the two lovers cold not help but to wonder if the "Sailor Saturn" part of the young child had forgiven them as well.

But the sense of losing the only home that they have ever known was not completely alien to the lovers, namely senshi of the wind. When Haruka was only 13 years of age, she was kicked out of her home by her homophobic parents when they learned that their daughter was a lesbian and she had to move in with her aunt and her family. Needless to say, Haruka could relate very well to what her soon to be daughter was going through. _'At least I may have some idea what would be going through her mind'_ Haruka kept thinking to herself, as the date for Hotaru to move in came closer and closer.

While this was going on, the terminally ill professor was busy ensuring that all of his affairs were in order before his time came to move back into hospital. During this time the professor met with both his lawyers as well as his financial advisers, he wanted to make sure that his daughter's future was secure and that he would still be able to provide for her even though he would not be there to see her grow up.

As he sat in his private study going over some personal documents of his, something on his desk caught his attention. Sitting on his desk was a small picture that was taken a few years before, it was a picture of himself along with a infant Hotaru in his arms. But also in the photo was a beautiful woman with long black hair and deep violet eyes similar to Hotaru's. The woman in fact Keiko Tomoe, his late wife and Hotaru's mother.

As Souichi looked on at the mini portrait, memories of the past soon began to flood his head. The photo in question was taken the day that he and his wife had brought home their daughter from the hospital, it was quite possibly one of the happiest moments of his life. Just knowing that he now had a family and that the future looked bright for them. But alas the memories were bitter sweet for the professor, for the picture in question was taken just 3 months before the accident that would not only take his beloved wife away, but would also lead him down a road that would ultimately lead to his untimely demise.

Now here he was, his life was now measured in weeks and soon he would be forced to move back into the hospital to spend his final days. All he could do right now was ensure that his daughter would be well taken care of and that she would be given the life that he was unable to provide for her.

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Finally the day came for Hotaru to leave her father for the last time and move in to her new home. The two lovers were making the final adjustments to there home that morning before they would leave their home to pick up the young child that would become the newest member of their some what odd family.

"Did you call Usagi yet?" Haruka asked her wife, as she helped her place some food stuff into the one of the kitchen's cabinets. Since they did not know just how Hotaru would be feeling when she arrived, Michiru thought it would be a good idea to have a few friendly faces greeting the violet eyed waif when the couple returned. The friendliest face being a certain odango blond that gave Hotaru a second chance at life.

"She said that the would be here just after lunch," Michiru replied, as she reentered the kitchen with another bag of groceries. "She also said that she will be bringing Makoto along as well."

"Makoto?" the senshi of the wind gasped in surprise. Over the last few month, the relationship between them and the inner senshi had not all that improved as much as the couple had hoped. Even though the lovers had tried to interact more with their princess' inner court and try to build a working relationship with them, the inner senshi were not so in kind to return the favor. Especially Makoto, who along with Rei, were most hostile towards the couple anytime they were around.

Now the senshi of thunder was going to be accompanying their princess later that day to greet Hotaru when she arrived and it was something that the couple were not looking forward too.

"Usagi said that she wanted to come and talk to Hotaru when she arrived." Michiru explained, as she rested down her bags on the kitchen counter and proceeded to pack it's contents into the fridge.

"She probably wants to remind her of what kind of people we are and what we did." Haruka replied in a somber tone, as she bowed her head in shame.

"Haruka..." Michiru said softly, "you have got to stop doing this to yourself. Yes you are feeling guilty and we shall live with what we had done for the rest of our lives, but you can not go torturing yourself like this."

"Why shouldn't I?" the tall blond replied, "I thought we were getting off easy when Usagi said that our punishment was to live with our actions, but not I realized that it was the harshest thing she could ever do to us."

"Ruka dear..."the young violinist said soothingly as she came up and wrapped her arms around the taller woman's neck, "I know how you are feeling and I know how hard it is to let go of that guilt. But please, don't let it ruin you. If not for me then for Hotaru, she needs you... us more now than ever."

"I just hope I can truly make things back up to her." Haruka replied, trying in vain to sound like her normal gruff self. Michiru came in slowly and planted a small kiss on her "husband's" lips before she said, "I am sure you will, my love. But you have got to stop beating down yourself."

"It is not going to be easy..." Haruka replied, her voice still filled with sadness and guilt. But Michiru told her hurting lover, "No it will not be easy, but we well overcome this... together."

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It was now just after four in the afternoon and the professor had yet to arrive with Hotaru. By this time though both Usagi and Makoto had arrived and despite the some what bad blood that existed between the senshi of thunder and the outers , Makoto had managed to keep her ill feelings for the couple to herself.

"Usagi, why did Makoto agree to come?" Haruka asked her younger friend, Usagi just sighed a bit before she replied "Because, she wanted to talk to Hotaru when she arrived."

"I know that much," Haruka replied, "But I just want to know... why?"

"Because... Mako-chan lost her parents when she was the same age as Hotaru." the blue eyed blond explained, "Mako knows first hand what it is like to lose her family at such an young age. She thought maybe that she could help Hotaru by giving her some one to talk to, who was also orphaned at an young age."

"I wonder what is taking the professor so long?" Michiru spoke up, as she reentered the living room. "He said that he would be here by 3."

"Maybe he is just spending some extra time with Hotaru-chan before he left her here." Haruka replied, "It is what I would do if I were in the professor's position."

"Maybe I should..." Usagi was about to finish her statement, when the home's telephone began to ring.

"Moshi Moshi?" Michiru asked, as she answered the phone. "Yes, this is the Tenoh residence... What? Is she alright?... yea.. yes we will be there as soon as possible."

"What's wrong?" Haruka asked her wife, as she saw the expression on her face that read both shock, disbelief and fear.

"It was from Aiiku General Hospital," Michiru replied, shock and disbelief in her voice, "Tomoe-Sensei was rushed there half an hour ago."

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_**A/N: **__Yea, kinda mean for me to end the chapter there I know. But more is to come so please reframe from sending me hate mail. _

_As always please review and thank you. _


	5. Chapter 5

_**A/N:**__ Okay... I know it has been a while but like I promised, here is the next chapter. I hope it was worth the wait._

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_**The Hospital...**_

It was now 20 minutes after eight that night and by this time all of the girls as well as Luna and Artemis had arrived at the hospital. It was just hours before that both Haruka and Miichiru had received the phone call from the hospital stating that a one Souichi Tomoe had been rushed their after collapsing unconscious while at a park with his daughter. From what they were told, it was young Hotaru that called for help via her father's cell phone and within minutes, both father and daughter were en route to Aiiku General Hospital. When they arrived, the still unconscious professor was rushed into the emergency room with a dozen or so doctors surrounding him. While little Hotaru was made to wait in the nurses lounge until for both Haruka and Michiru to arrive.

By the time the two lovers arrived along with Makoto and Usagi, the professor had yet to regain consciousness. They were all reunited with the violet eyed waif as soon as they had arrived at Aiiku General, which was one of the more state of the art hospitals in Tokyo and together, they waited for any news about the current condition of the professor.

As time passed the rest of the girls, as well as Mamoru, had arrived at the hospital and they too were awaiting any news from the doctors. But as they sat there in the waiting room wondering about the professor's current situation, none of them noticed that a certain violet eyes senshi had sneeked away from the the group and was making her way down one of the the hospital's hallways. Well... almost no one noticed.

While the other girls were lost in there own thoughts, Haruka, Michiru and Usagi saw the young waif sneak away. Ever since they had arrived and were reunited with the young senshi of death and rebirth, they could not help but to notice that the normally bubbly young child was rather timid and silent. Then again, she had just witnessed her father being rushed into the emergency room with a group of doctors flocking around him. But as the trio looked on at the young child, they could not help but to wonder just what was going on in her young mind.

Both Haruka and Michiru were about to go after the young waif when they felt an hand on there shoulders. "Usagi?" Haruka questioned her future queen, "What are you doing?"

"We need to see if Hotaru is alright." Michiru added with a almost pleading tone. " Why did u stop us?"

The young blond just looked up at them with her deep blue eyes and replied, "I think it would be best if some one who knows what Hotaru is going through spoke to her." the two outer senshi were a bit puzzled to say the very least by their princess' statement.

"Some one who knows what she is going through?" Michiru asked, the confusion on her face evident.

"She means that what Hotaru needs is a shoulder she could cry on who knows first hand, what it is like to lose the ones she loves in a split second." a new and very familiar voice interjected.

"Setsuna-san!" Usagi gasped in surprise, as she and the two lovers saw the garnet eyed time goddess walk up to them.

"Let me guess... you saw this too in your time streams and you came to ensure that everything went smoothly?" Haruka growled a bit, the memories from their last meeting a few weeks ago still fresh in her mind. Michiru shot her lover a look and was about to say something to her, but Setsuna began to speak again and said,

"As I was saying before, I agree with our princess and it should be some one who could relate to what Hotaru is going through right now." the time goddess replied, completely ignoring Haruka's comments.

The couple took a few moments to allow what their elder friend had said to sink in and it was then they realized something that shocked them. They really did not know what to say to Hotaru in a situation just as this one, neither of them could even begin to imagine just how the violet eyed senshi was feeling at that exact moment. Just what would they say to her anyway?

"Usagi is right." Michiru said softly, "Maybe it would be for the best that some one else talk to her at a time like this."

"Yea... I guess..." Haruka added with a defeated tone in her voice, "Maybe Makoto could help her better that we can right now."

"Haruka, Michiru..." Usagi spoke up, "It is not that I think you are incapable of truly being there for Hotaru, it is just that I believe that if Hotaru talked to someone who went through the same thing when they were here age, then she would be able to deal with her sadness. Her pain would not go away, but she would know that she is not alone.

Once again Usagi had showed that their was a lot more to her than met the eye and after taking a minute to allow what they she had said to sink in, both Haruka and Michiru realized that their princess was right. Hotaru needed to talk to some one who had been where she was right now. All they could do now was stay where they were and wait with everyone else for news about the professor's condition. The couple just hoped that they were doing the right thing.

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"Hotaru-chan, are you alright?" Makoto said, as both she and Mamoru found the young waif sitting all alone in the hospital's cafeteria. Hotaru for her part remained silent and continued to watch the cup of warn noodles in her small hands, that she had gotten for herself.

"Hotaru, it's me Mako-chan and I brought Mamoru." the senshi of thunder said again, as she and Manoru came up and sat down on either side of her. But still, the violet eyed senshi of death did not acknowledge her two older friends. All she did was continue to look at her cup of noodles, a fact that had the two worried to say the least.

"Hotaru... we both know what you are going through." Mamoru told the young waif. "We thought you would have wanted to talk. It was at that point that Hotaru replied and said with a sniffle "This is all my fault."

"Hotaru," Makoto said, as she came in and hugged her young friend, "It is not your fault. Your father was already sick."

"I know! But I asked if we could go to the park and play before he dropped me off at Haruka-Papa's and Michiru-Mama's." the young waif began to cry, "That's why he's dead! Because I wanted to play!"

"Taru-chan," Makoto hugged her tightly, "Don't say that! It is not you fault and he is not dead. He will be fine and back on is feet soon."

"But he will die soon." Hotaru said softly with a slight sniffle, "Daddy told me that he was going to be with mommy soon and there was nothing that could be done."

"Hotaru-chan," Mamoru began, "I know how you feel. I lost both my mom and dad in an accident when I was your age."

"Me too." Makoto added, "Both of us know what it was like to lose our parents so we know what you are going through."

"You... do...?" the senshi of death asked her older friends, her violet eyes shimmering as she looked up at them. The older pair just nodded as Mamoru replied, "My parents and I were coming back from a show that I really wanted to see when I was a boy. On our way home my father lost control of the car and we went over a cliff... only I survived."

"Mamoru-san..." Hotaru whispered, "I..."

"It is okay Hotaru chan." the older man replied. "I don't mind talking about it now that I am older, but for a long time I did blame myself for what had happened. I was the reason that they were out on that night and I thought that if it was not for me, they might have been alive today."

"But what happened?" Hotaru asked him, curious about what had happened to him that would make him change his view.

"Well.. I learned overtime that it was not my fault. My parents knew that I wanted to see that show and they chose to take me to see it." Mamoru explained, "My parents loved me and what happened that night was nothing more than an incident that I had no hand in doing."

"But you were alone for awhile?"Hotaru asked him. Mamoru nodded his head and replied, "Yes I was, but I was adopted by a couple that loved me as if I were there own."

"Like Haruka and Michiru." Makoto added, "They love you very much and your father was very wise indeed to select them to be your guardians. He wanted to make sure that you had a loving home to grow up in because he loves you and I am very certain that it was for that reason he took you to the park to play."

Hotaru fell silent as looked back down at her cup of now cold noodles. She then began to sniffle some more as she replied "I am going to miss him..."

"As you always will," Makoto told her younger friend, "but remember, he will always be with you and that he will always love you. Now... I think it is time to rejoin the others in the waiting room. Maybe they had gotten an update on the your father."

Hotaru nodded in agreement and along with her friends, she left the cafeteria leaving the cold cup of noodles behind and within a few minutes, they had rejoined the others. But something was off. Everyone had a somber look on there faces while Usagi was in a corner crying softly. Almost immediately, every one turned to watched the trio as they approached while Michiru ran up to Hotaru crying and wrapped the young waif in her arms.

"What's going on?" Makoto asked as she approached Rei, who was in the middle of the room and looked like she was muttering a small prayer to herself. The fiery miko looked at her friend with a look that said something bad had just happened.

"The doctor came a few minutes ago to update us on the professor." Rei told her taller friend.

"W... what did he say?" the senshi of thunder asked, a strange feeling dread beginning to fill her as if if she knew what Rei was about to tell her was bad.

"Makoto... Professor Tomoe is dead..."


	6. Chapter 6

_**A/N:** I would advise that you read my previous story to understand this one. _

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**_Finale..._**

The funeral service for the late Souichi Tomoe was a somber affair to say the very least. The service itself was held in a small church just outside Tokyo. In attendance, were colleges and former associates of the late professor as well persons that he had made friends with while he was in hospital. But as the mourners sat and listened to the priest as he gave his sermon, no one there seemed to notice the trio of women sitting in the front pew or that they were accompanying the late professor's only living blood relative.

It was only a week ago that Hotaru's world came crashing down around her, when she was first told of her father's passing. From what the doctors had said, professor Tomoe had suffered an allergic reaction to a bee sting he had received while he was in the park with her. Normally one bee sting would not be enough to cause any form of discomfort to any one, but with the professor's ill health, the venom form the sting caused a chain reaction within his body which lead to his untimely demise.

The days following his passing were not an easy time for the young senshi of destruction. The normally bubbly child had sunk into a deep depression, she would stay in her room for hours on end and would only leave to either eat or use the bathroom. Every so often either Usagi, Makoto or Rei would drop in and check up on their younger friend and even though Hotaru would talk to them, it did little to change her mood.

As the service went on, persons who knew the professor came forward and spoke about him. Many spoke well of him while others said that he was an icon in his field. At one point Hotaru was asked if she would have liked to say a few words about her father, she agreed and went up to the alter to say a few words. But as she began to speak, Hotaru broke into tears and had to be helped back to her seat by Haruka.

Finally the service came to an end and it was time to give Professor Tomoe his final send off. The coffin was loaded into the back of a Mercedes-Benz hearse and within a few minutes, there was a long convoy of vehicles behind it as it made its way to the cemetery.

In a limo that had been provided by the funeral home, Hotaru rode with her adoptive family. Every one there wore black, even Haruka wore a black dress for the occasion. Seeing that she did not want to a stir by wearing a suit. The ride to the cemetery was silent, not a single person making any attempt to start a conversation. Yet there was one subject that were on the minds of the 3 grown ups that were in the limo with there adoptive daughter, would Hotaru ever recover from having to deal with such a trauma in her young life? It was true that she no ordinary child and that she could show wisdom beyond her years, but she was still human. Only time will tell if the violate eyed waif that had captured their hearts would ever be herself again.

Finally, the funeral party arrived at the cemetery and it was time for Hotaru to say goodbye to her father on final time. Slowly the coffin containing the body of the late professor was removed from the hearse and was carried to it final resting place. It was at the cemetery that the outer senshi noticed some very familiar faces in the crowd.

Usagi, along with Mamoru and the rest of the girls were there. All of them in dressed in black and wore matching somber looks on there faces. "How are you, Hotaru-chan?" Usagi asked her younger friend, as she and the rest of the girls came to her."

"I... I am fine, Usagi-chan." Hotaru replied, "Thank you for coming."

"It is the least we could do." Makoto spoke up. As she knelt down in front of Hotaru and gave her a hug. "If you ever want to talk I am here for you."

"As well as all of us." Rei spoke up.

"Thank you everyone." Hotaru replied, as she returned Makoto's hug, to which the other girls joined in. Soon it was time to lower the coffin into its final resting place, every one there soon assembled around the casket as the priest gave one final speech. Hotaru stood with her adoptive family, as she looked at the casket which contained her father. As the casket began it's slow decent in to the earth, the young waif could not help but to think about all the fun times she had shared with her father in the past year. Now he was gone forever, off the joint her mother in the after life.

The whole affair was over in about ten minutes, the funeral party had already began to disband at this point as the grounds keepers shoveled the last few bits of dirt onto the grave. But Hotaru did not leave until the burial itself was complete, she stayed there with her adoptive parents for a little while longer before she finally decided to leave her father's side for the final time.

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"Hotaru?" Haruka said, as she slowly opened the door to her daughter's room. "Hotaru, are you alright?" there was no answer. Cautiously the senshi of the wind entered her daughters room, not bothering to flip on the light for the room. The only light coming from an small lamp set upon a desk that illuminated a very familiar form of some one hiding under the bed sheets.

Sighing a bit, the dirty blond haired woman walked up to the bed and sat down on it. "Hotaru, Michiru-mama made pancakes and waffles. Don't you want to come down stairs and eat?" she asked the violet eyed waif. But still there was no response.

"Hime-chan, it has been three days since the funeral. Eventually you are going to half to come out of this room face the world." Haruka said in a gentle tone.

"I... I am going to miss him." a small voice squeaked back from under the covers. The blue eyed blond immediately began to feel for the young child.

"And you always will. Overtime the pain will fade away but you will always miss him."

"I thought I would be ready for this." Hotaru squeaked out, "I am alone now."

"Hotaru." Haruka replied, as she came in and gave he daughter a hug. "Did I ever tell you about the time my so called parents kicked me out of the house for being a lesbian?"

"N... no..." Hotaru said, as the statement caught her by surprise. "They kicked you out?" Haruka nodded as the unpleasant memory came back to her.

"I thought I was all alone when I got thrown out onto the streets. I felt all alone and that no one wouls ever love me for who I was. I was not even sure that any of my relatives ever consider me family after my father said that I was a disgrace to the family name."

Hotaru could feel the tears roll down her pale cheeks, as her "Papa" told her the story of one of the least pleasant moments of her life. "What did you do?"

"Truthfully I did not know where to turn, but out of desperation, I called my aunt and her husband and told them what had happened. I thought that they would shun me too and that I would be all alone for the rest of my life.. but I was wrong."

"What happened." Hotaru asked he papa, her deep violet eyes peering up at the older woman. "My aunt and uncle took me in." Haruka replied, wiping a small tear from her eye. "they gave me a place to stay and they took care of me until I was ready to move out on my own. They treated me as if I was one of their own, like I was apart of their family."

"They did?"

"Yes hime-chan." Haruka replied, "I t was then I realized that their were people in this world that cared about me and that I was not as alone as I thought I was. Much like you."

"Me?" Hotaru gasped in surprise.

" Hotaru, me and Michiru love you very much and although we are not family by blood, you are still a member of our family." the senshi of the wind said to her daughter. "and I an very certain that Usagi and the others ting of you as their sister as well."

Hotaru was overwhelmed by the papa's words a she shot up and wrapped the arms around the older woman's neck. "I love you too, Papa." she cried. Haruka could feel the tears forming in her eyes as well as she replied, "I love you to, Hime-chan. Now, do you think you can face the world today?"

The young child nodded rapidly, before she got out of her bed and made her way to the bathroom to shower. Leaving Haruka all alone in the room.

"I am proud of you, Ruka." a voice said, startling the senshi of the wind a bit.

"Oh... hi Michi." Haruka replied, trying to be her normal gruff self. "I heard what you told Hotaru just now." the senshi of the seas told her lover.

"Well... she needed to get out of bed sooner or later." Haruka shot back, trying to act as if she had done nothing special. But it did not work as Michiru sat down next to her love and wrapped her arms around her. "Still... I am very proud of you, miss Tenoh. You are going to make a good parent."

"For Hotaru's sake I hope we both can be." Haruka replied, "She has already gone through so much at her age."

"I know, but we will be their for her no matter what." the young violinist replied as she planted a small kiss on Haruka's cheek. "We should really get back down stairs before Setsuna starts to pick away at the food."

Haruka grinned a bit before she replied "Yea we should. Besides... I want to find out what is going on with her and my cuz. You know she had been talking to him on the phone every time he calls."

"Really...?" Michiru giggled, as both she and Haruka exited the room and made their way back down stairs.

For the two lovers, a new chapter in their lives had opened up. They were now the parents of a child that had no family and now they, as well as their friend Setsuna, were given the task of ensuring that the young child that had captured their hearts grew up in a home where she would be loved and taken care of. And they were determined to do so no matter what it took to do so.

They were now Fire Fly's guardians.

_**The End. **_


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